Piper PA-22 accident near Placerville, California, July 26, 1989
On July 26, 1989 at about 1:45 am local time, a Piper PA-22, registered N5925D, was destroyed in an accident near Placerville, California (Placerville airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE IMPROPER MAINTENANCE PERFORMED AT THE LAST OVERHAUL WHICH RESULTED IN THE FAILURE OF THE #3 MAIN BEARING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF A SUITABLE LANDING AREA FOR THE EMERGENCY LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 1989 · about 1:45 am local time
- Place
- Placerville, California · Placerville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22 · all PA-22s on the register
- Registration
- N5925D · no longer on the register · serial 22-4587
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE RPM DECAYED AND THE ENGINE SEIZED. THE INSTRUCTOR FLEW TO THE ONLY AVAILABLE FIELD IN THE AREA BUT IT WAS ON THE SIDE OF A HILL. THE FIELD WAS ROUGH, UNEVEN AND COVERED WITH ROCKS. THE AIRPLANE WAS DEMOLISHED AND ALL THREE PEOPLE ON THE AIRPLANE RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. TEARDOWN OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE CENTER MAIN BEARING HAD FAILED AND FRAGMENTS OF THE BEARING SEPARATED FROM THE BEARING BACKING, AND ROLLED UP BETWEEN THE BEARING AND CRANKSHAFT.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,200 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 6,000 as pilot in command; 5,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 22, 1989; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVP at 1:45 am
- Destination: PVP
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.